Athletes Lifting Ridiculous Amounts of Weight

Athletes Lifting Ridiculous Amounts of Weight

Welcome to an article that really could be entitled, "Better you than me," featuring some athletes who take their craft seriously.

Now there is a wealth of these kinds of videos all over the Internet, so consider this a brief snapshot of people lifting sick weight. If you feel that others should have been mentioned, remedy that below.

In the name of diversity, we included some athletes from various sports, not just weightlifting. Also, we tried to limit the amount of strongman fare—although there is plenty of that as well as some amazing young amateurs too.

So really, we have it all—as long as you limit your expectations to crazy weight being transported various distances.

Terrence Jones

You know you are carrying a substantial load when the bar bends under the weight. We doff our much lighter cap in your direction, champ.

Benedikt Magnusson

2 of 19

When plates are at a premium, you lift tires.

We do agree, however, that deadlifting 1,100 pounds of rubber is a lot more impressive than regular plates. OK, everything about this video featuring Benedikt Magnusson is impressive, including his name.

Larry Allen

3 of 19

Larry Allen played 14 seasons in the NFL, playing guard for the 49ers and Cowboys. For those interested, he is seen here going beast mode on stacks on stacks of plates.

The Hall of Famer shows off the brute force that garnered such success as he wills 700 pounds off his chest like a champ.

Matt Poursoltani

4 of 19

The Dallas Morning News reported back in 2013 about then-Pilot Point senior Matt Poursoltani putting up gigantic weight.

Prior to putting up 700 pounds, his personal best remained 670, so we imagine he will next bench press a house.

As for what he eats, the report has you covered:

The senior eats six sunny-side-up eggs every morning along with whatever meat he can get his hands on. Bacon, sausage and cans of tuna have all become staples in his diet.

He eats protein-rich foods but eschews protein shakes. Lunch is usually a sandwich with cold cuts, and one recent dinner consisted of two 16-ounce steaks and collard greens.

We have a similar diet and just cut out the exercise. seems easier that way.

The Timber Carry

5 of 19

Need furniture moved? How about arbitrarily constructed pieces of wood that weigh a combined 882 pounds?

Here we see the usual silliness taking place at a Strongman competition, which is to say the inanity we rather enjoy watching.

Giant mountains posing as human men try and take immense weight up a plank. Their ventures look like us trying to move our dressers into a U-Haul truck.

As noted, a great deal of Watson's success came just three years after starting in the sport, which shows off not only strength but a willingness to learn and excel.

Shaq and Chuck

7 of 19

After all that work, it's best to take a break. There is no better way to garner some laughs than with the guys from Inside the NBA.

Thankfully, they once showed off their powerlifting prowess—at least Shaquille O'Neal tried to.

Who knew the Chuckster was this strong?

Behdad Salimi

8 of 19

In 2011, Behdad Salimi managed to garner a new snatch world record, lifting 214 kilograms, or just over 471 pounds, or just a really impressive amount of weight.

At the London Olympics, he was just as impressive, winning gold in the men's weightlifting final.

Phillip Daniels

9 of 19

Phillip Daniels spent 15 years in the NFL, playing for teams like the Seahawks, Bears and Redskins. You can go ahead and credit his dedication in the gym to that longevity.

Here he is squatting the equivalent of a couple of linemen. If that weren't impressive enough, he also deadlifted 675 pounds, which you can also see on video.

Zydrunas Savickas Part I

10 of 19

Zydrunas Savickas is so nice we posted him in this list twice. The Lithuanian powerlifter is seen here doing what he does best: carrying an outrageous amount of weight for a short amount of time.

If you ever need tires changed on your semi-trailer truck, he's your man. We imagine he would lift the truck with one hand and just toss the tires on with the other.

Braden Smith

11 of 19

No big whoop, just a high school player doing three reps of 515 pounds.

Muscle and Fitness highlighted this video featuring Braden Smith who is an "offensive guard from Olathe South High School in Olathe, Kansas."

Stephen Paea

12 of 19

Before being selected by the Chicago Bears in 2011, Stephen Paea bench-pressed 225 pounds 49 times at the NFL combine, resulting in our undying respect.

It's not just that he put up that kind of weight that many times but did so under so much pressure. Yet he tossed it up like it was nothing...well, until the very end when the barbell must have felt like Vince Wilfork.

The Cyr Dumbbell

13 of 19

This takes pumping your fist in the air to a whole new and exhausting level.

In January of 1892 Louis Cyr broke Eugen Sandow's world record by push-pressing a dumbbell of 273.25 lbs (124 kg) over his head with one hand after taking it to his shoulder with two hands. The 274 lbs replica of the Cyr Dumbbell has been designed and built by the experts at Rogue Fitness, one of the major sponsors of the Arnold Strongman Classic.

Just lifting the dumbbell deserves applause. The fact that some of these walking muscles actually garner reps from the weight is unbelievable.

Zydrunas Savickas Part II

14 of 19

Zydrunas Savickas trains by deadlifting 430 kilograms, or just over 947 pounds, or the weight where we assume you just start considering lifting gym equipment instead of weights.

The reason we love this video so much is the very end, when someone gives the exact opposite of the proper reaction upon witnessing such feats of strength.

Power Stairs

19 of 19

It's like a really meaty version of Donkey Kong.

As a side note, the video features Shaw, who was referenced earlier, as well as Hafthor Bjornsson, who owns a killer name and the role of Gregor Clegane, or the aptly named The Mountain, on Game of Thrones.